Since 2017, I have volunteered to teach English at a low-income public high school near the regional hospital and Wayra Plaza. Many bus lines and taxis serve the campus. we are the only public school with native English-speaking volunteers.
This is my annual plea for additional volunteers to start in October or later.
These are the most common concerns about volunteering in Cuenca:
1) My Spanish is terrible. The kids need to be around native speakers, and to hear you speak English. They don’t need a Spanish teacher! Your “survival Spanish” is sufficient, and you will learn so much from them.
2) I’m not a teacher. you will be fine. we have small classes of 6 students. If you prefer, you can also be a tutor or a teacher’s assistant. Any help is needed and greatly appreciated. you don’t need to know all the grammar rules! If you aren’t comfortable in front of the students, there are many other opportunities behind the scenes. If you want to help in other subjects such as math, art, science, and the industrial trades, there are opportunities available.
3) I don’t have materials. we have plenty to share. The students haven’t had English textbooks in years, so we’ve had to improvise.
4) I have limited time. Classes run 40 minutes, from 7 AM – 1 PM. you can volunteer for 1 class, or 100 classes. Take as much time off as you like! we will work around your schedule.
The lack of government funding means the school needs many necessities (toilet paper, hand soap, feminine hygiene products, school supplies, uniforms, bus cards, technology, etc.) In-kind or financial donations are always appreciated.
For more information, please reach out!
Mark, MarkCinCLT@gmail.com
Address: De las Herrerías, Cuenca, Azuay, Ecuador
